AlCircle News Edited By "Rupankar Majumder"
A professional with a technical background, specialising in producing insightful content centred around metals, particularly aluminium, passionately engaged in the intricacies of the recycling sector.
Bus body maker Volgren is on a sustainable path
Innovation is crucial in the fiercely competitive world of manufacturing. As a result, Volgren, Australia's largest bus body manufacturer, has created a name for itself by providing creative, sustainable, and efficient public transportation solutions. In 1979, the company started its journey by manufacturing its first bus body to develop a more dependable, pleasant, and long-lasting vehicle with lower operating expenses than others on the market. Volgren now designs, manufactures and assembles public transport buses of all types, including zero-emission vehicles. Its bus bodies are approximately 90 per cent locally built and have the lowest lifetime cost of any bus in Australia, thanks to its 400-strong manufacturing, operations, and aftersales support teams spread across NSW, Victoria,...
Rusal confirms its leadership in EcoVadis' world sustainable suppliers rating
The Russian aluminium giant aluminium producer reaffirmed its excellent ranking in EcoVadis, the world's largest and most reliable supplier sustainability assessment. The Company has an integral score corresponding with the "silver" level. It associates the Company with the top-8 per cent of the best global suppliers regarding their Environment, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) maturity. In 2023, RUSAL got an overall 68 out of 100 maximum scores in the rating, which is 10 scores higher than the previous year. It became possible due to palpable improvements in the environment, labour, human rights and ethics. RUSAL's carbon footprint management system was rated 'Advanced' in this year's EcoVadis assessment. The grading specialists praised the Company's comprehensive GHG management...
Hellenic Cables wins RWE and Northland Power offshore wind contract
As the preferred provider of the inter-array cables for their up to 1.6 GW Nordseecluster development in the German North Sea, a cluster consisting of four offshore wind farm sites, RWE and Northland Power have selected the Greek cable manufacturer Hellenic Cables. Around 185 kilometres of 66-kV aluminium and copper conductor cables will be supplied by Hellenic Cables to connect the 44 wind turbines in Nordseecluster A to two offshore substations and the 60 wind turbines in Nordseecluster B to the converter at the transmission system operator. The cables will be produced at the Hellenic Cables factory in Sousaki, Corinth, Greece. Two offshore wind farms will be included in each of the Nordseecluster's two construction phases, Nordseecluster A and Nordseecluster B. The permitting process...
Klaveness Combination Carriers signs the first maritime agreement linking freight earnings to reduce carbon emissions
KCC Chartering AS, a subsidiary of Klaveness Combination Carriers ASA and South32 Marketing Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of globally diversified mining and metals company South32, have agreed to incorporate a carbon pricing mechanism in their existing Contract of Affreightment (COA). The parties agreed on a sustainability framework to minimise carbon dioxide emissions from KCC's fleet, including the fleet used to export South32's caustic soda to Australia, under the six-year COA announced in January 2022. In accordance with this framework, KCCC and South32 created a mechanism in 2022 that links freight payments made under the COA to the carbon dioxide emissions of KCCC's boats compared to a predetermined baseline. According to the agreed-upon system, which will be put into effect in 2023, KCCC...
LIXIL succeeds mass production of billets using 100% recycled aluminium for the first time in Japan
The Japanese group of companies that manufactures building materials, plumbing fixtures and housing equipment, LIXIL Corporation, has successfully mass-produced billets using 100 per cent recycled aluminium for the first time in Japan at its Oyabe Plant. In FY'22, the company had already acquired a 70% usage rate. By FY'31, it intends to employ only recycled aluminium. LIXIL plans to launch PremiAL R100, a product made entirely of recycled raw materials, to limit the consumption of new aluminium ingots and build a low-carbon, recycling-oriented society. Last month, LIXIL updated its environmental strategy and set medium-term targets for significant items to strengthen its efforts to achieve its environmental vision 2050, "Zero Carbon and Circular Living." Received under the content...
Recycling end-of-life cars with the Car2Car project
Innovating dismantling and automated sorting may improve the quality of secondary raw materials from end-of-life vehicles. A federally funded project called Car2Car brings together auto companies, recyclers, and scientists to answer this question. With sensor technology and spectroscopic techniques for substance identification, the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology lends its experience to material detection. With a focus on the circular economy, the goal is to use more secondary materials in new cars. Climate protection aims and supply limitations in the raw materials sector do not end with the automobile sector. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) has established the "New Vehicle and System Technologies" funding programme to make...
Automation can boost efficiency in the manufacturing sector: IBM
The manufacturing sector can increase productivity, optimize operations and reduce customer complaints by automating tasks. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and process automation combined with intelligent automation (IA) can reduce labour costs and optimize production. A consistent theme keeps surfacing while discussing with clients of all sizes in the manufacturing sector. They have begun implementing Intelligent Automation, the fusion of automation and AI technologies, primarily to enhance customer satisfaction and increase operational effectiveness. AI is used by manufacturers to assess sensor data and assist production facilities in predicting the possibility of upcoming machinery breakdowns, enabling the scheduling of preventive maintenance and repairs in advance....
Yunnan weather forecast may influence China's aluminium production
The International Aluminium Institute (IAI)'s most recent monthly assessment shows that during the first three months of 2023, the world's primary aluminium production increased by 2.0 per cent y-o-y to 16.9 million tonnes. Restarts and reductions in aluminium production outside of China mainly balance each other, resulting in a plateau. China, which contributes around 57- 60 per cent of global primary metal production, increased output by 3.9 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2022, and the growth rate dipped by 0.9 per cent in March. In the hydro-rich region of Yunnan, where power-intensive smelters have been instructed to scale back operations to aid with a severe drought, lower production is not being countered by new or restarted capacity. The weather patterns in China's...
Japan: Aluminium premiums rose by 53% for April-June 2023 to settle at $130
Major trading companies, domestic consumers, and overseas producers of aluminium ingots have agreed on a price of $130, up 53 per cent ($45) from the previous quarter, for aluminium premiums to Japan for the April–June 2023 period. The premium has reached triple digits for the first time in three quarters. Although all discussions still need to be completed, some manufacturers have offered $145, and the agreed-upon price serves as a benchmark. Usually, March is the time when negotiations for the April–June season are decided. Due to a difference in how producers and consumers perceived suitable prices, they were postponed until mid-April. Initial offers from producers in reaction to the premium hike outside of Japan ranged from $125 to 145. The offer, which increased 71 per cent from the...
On Earth Day 2023, let us know how aluminium is graduating to become a futuristic metal
In 1970, Wisconsin politician Gaylord Nelson led the charge in what became Earth Day. After witnessing the horror of a huge oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, at the beginning of 1969, he was extremely frightened. Senator Nelson combined the student anti-war movement with increasing public awareness of air and water pollution from his concern about the planet's worsening situation. He had proposed teaching about environmental conservation in colleges. Earth Day became a reality in 1970, thanks to the efforts of Nelson and activist Denis Hayes, and received widespread coverage in the national media. After decades, the movement went global in 1990. EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO), the global organizer of Earth Day and biggest recruiter of environmental movements, announced the theme for 2023 –...
Bauxite mining needs to be increased in China: Industry experts
On April 20, 2023, a Chinese industry expert advised that China, the largest aluminium producer globally, needs to enhance local bauxite mining to reduce its growing dependency on imported resources. Meng Jie, a Deputy Secretary General of the aluminium branch at the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA), said, "China's bauxite imports are highly concentrated in Guinea, Australia and Indonesia. We are seeing lower grades of domestic resources and the gradual decline of self-sufficiency." "Reliance on overseas resources has been on an uptrend, and we expect it to go up further." Meng's presentation reflected that China's reliance on bauxite imports grew to 55 per cent in 2022 from 2.8 per cent in 2002. Governments worldwide are concentrating on obtaining critical minerals,...
Trade activity boosts India's ADC12 aluminium alloy ingot (secondary) prices
On April 19, 2023, aluminium alloy ingot ADC12 domestic prices increased by INR 2,000 per tonne to INR 199,000 per tonne. The increased tendency was attributed to the moderate OEM (original equipment manufacturer) transactions. The medium-scale alloy ingot producers (secondary aluminium) saw selling pressure due to limited buying interest for substandard quality or close to appropriate chemical composition. The utilisation of production capacity may be impacted in the short term among medium-scale secondary producers as the workforce typically opts out due to extreme heat. The government's metallurgical department has also announced the same. Still, the time duration would be limited, according to one of the traders based in the western region. Another small-scale secondary producer...
Downward trends observed in non-ferrous metal prices
On 14 April 2023, nonferrous metals prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) displayed a downward trend. The three-month aluminium futures contract fell 0.8 per cent to $2,367 per tonne, while zinc prices fell 0.7 per cent to $2,837 per tonne. Lead prices fell by 1.1 per cent to $2,146 per tonne. Meanwhile, nickel prices fell 1.8 per cent to $23,698 per tonne. Copper futures rose 0.4 per cent to $9,058 per tonne. AlCircle's latest industry-focused report, “Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2023” unveils that world aluminium usage, including primary and recycled metal, increased by about 1.9 per cent in 2022 and stood at 95.3 million tonnes. The robust global aluminium market has temporarily been slowed down on account of the recent geopolitical and consequent economic crisis. The ongoing...
Four existing alumina refineries may sustain Indonesia's bauxite ban
Indonesia's energy and mineral resources industry (ESDM) has assured that the four existing alumina refineries could engross Indonesia's bauxite production when the bauxite export restriction goes into effect in June 2023. An ESDM ministerial staff for mineral and coal management acceleration said, "We will stop bauxite exports for sure." These refineries, which are owned by PT Indonesia Chemical Alumina, PT Bintan Alumina Indonesia , PT Well Harvest Winning Alumina Refinery Line -1 , and PT Well Harvest Winning Alumina Refinery Line -2, can consume mined bauxite and produce record tonnes of alumina, which was never according to the officer. PT Indonesia Chemical Alumina refinery has the capacity to produce 300,000 tonnes of chemical-grade alumina (CGA) per year. In contrast, the PT...
Aldel in Delfzijl: Aluminium is past, green energy is the future
Delfzijl will be home to the biggest battery in Europe, on the site of bankrupt Dutch aluminium producer Aldel. Amstelveen-based GIGA Storage BV will install batteries the size of fifteen football fields that can store more than a gigawatt-hour of electricity. The result is that more wind and solar farms can be linked to Groningen, Drenthe, and Friesland's high-voltage grid. Ruud Nijs, the CEO of GIGA Storage, said, "In Flevoland, GIGA Storage is already active in storing green energy. These are disproportionate to the plans in Delfzijl. The ambition in Delfzijl is to store more than one-gigawatt hour." A month ago, the first bankruptcy report of Aldel was published. At that point, it became apparent that the port city's aluminium manufacturing would not resume. More than thirty...
India’s aluminium alloy ingot ADC12 price remains stable w-o-w
The domestic prices of aluminium alloy ingot ADC12 in India remained stable w-o-w at INR 197,000/t. Despite the start of the new fiscal year, the stability was attributed to modest buying demand. While established market players' output levels have stayed basically stable, there is considerable selling pressure as producers give slight discounts to their usual trade associates. Additionally, the material's future bookings are still on the low side, suggesting that demand may be slowing down. However, a north India-based original equipment manufacturing (OEM) source informed, "Most of the participants expect that alloy ingot demand may rebound in the near term." The die- casting industry currently needs more capacity utilisation due to introduction of new technologies in the automobile...
Prices of non-ferrous metals reflect mixed results
On April 11, 2023, the non-ferrous metals prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) closed a mixed trend. The three-month aluminium futures contract fell 1.3 per cent to $2,302/t, while zinc prices fell 0.4 per cent to $2,779/t. Lead dropped 0.4% to $2,087/t. In the meantime, nickel prices climbed 2.9 per cent to $23,472/t. Copper futures inched up by 0.6 per cent, closing at $8,854/t. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the US has released its March Consumer Price Index (CPI). The re-opening of the Chinese economy has delivered a positive note to the global metal industry. The nation contributes to around 57-60 per cent of world aluminium production. AlCircle’s latest industry-focused report, ‘ Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2023 ’, unveils that the demand for the primary...
India's imported aluminium scrap prices decline marginally on limited trade
The price of imported aluminium scrap in India fell marginally, influenced by price movements on global commodities exchanges such as the London Metal Exchange (LME) and the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX). These are recognised to have an impact on both the domestic and international markets in India. As a result of the major commodity exchanges being closed for Good Friday and Easter, and then it was a weekend, relatively few transactions had been reported in the international market during the past few days. Furthermore, trading channels observed a modest bid-offer imbalance in the market. Buyers have considerably lowered their bids for aluminium scrap by $40-60/t, resulting in weaker demand for the material in India's aluminium market. Additionally, it was reported that scrap...
